26th March 2024
New for 2024, Frontier Agriculture’s environmental land management and specialist crops business, Kings Crops, has introduced brand new mixes specifically designed to meet the latest options under the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and other Environmental Land Management schemes.
Adding to what is already an extensive portfolio of mixtures developed to meet a range of funding criteria and on-farm sustainability objectives, the latest products deliver for new SFI requirements and Countryside Stewardship (CS).
Technical advisor and SFI delivery lead, Hannah Clarke explains: “The first of our new mixes is the Annual Legume Fallow Mix, which helps growers achieve the requirements outlined in SFI action NUM3: Legume fallow where a grass-free annual mix is needed. It’s a great option for those who want to rotate the scheme option around their farm.
“The second is our Kale Free Biennial Mix, which can offer cover and feed for two years while meeting the requirements of the AHL2: Winter bird food action.
“This mix could be of particular interest to growers who struggled to grow kale because of the pressure from cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB) this year.” For every bag of this mix sold, Kings will also donate £1 to the Gamekeepers Welfare Trust.
Seed specialists from Frontier and Kings have also revised other popular options to help growers maximise the benefits on farm. Hannah continues, “our Wildlife Winter Holding Cover is a new and improved formulation that supports an agronomic plan to aid management of the wider rotation.”
Speaking of existing mixtures that remain firm favourites, Hannah also notes that the Kings’ Flower Rich Grass Mix is still great for the AB8: Flower-rich margins and plots Stewardship option and the SFI’s IPM2: Flower-rich grass margins, blocks, or in-field strips action, providing 10% native wildflowers/agricultural legumes with 90% non-competitive grasses.
“We also have alternative mixtures available for legume fallow and pollen and nectar, as well as bespoke mixes so growers have the flexibility to incorporate the species that work best for their farm.”
Quality assured seed
As well as providing an extensive product range, of the upmost importance for the Kings team when providing any specialist mixture is seed provenance and quality. Hannah explains: “This is paramount, especially if options are to work successfully across the whole farm rotation and remain compliant with government policy.
“We pride ourselves on producing quality products from the best seed on the market and there are rigorous steps we follow to ensure we meet the expectations of our customers. This includes working closely with breeders, trialing mixtures and collaborating with our customers to continually assess what works well. We understand they need peace of mind in our products and the ability to trust in their origin.”
More about the work that goes into Kings’ seed sourcing and mixture development can be found in this blog.
Helping growers make the most of new funding
Reflecting on the recent updates to the SFI, Frontier’s sustainable crop production commercial lead, Richard Barnes, believes the latest options present growers with considerable opportunities, but accessing the right advice is key to maximising their potential.
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Many farmers will be thinking about what the new SFI options could mean for their business planning, including their wider crop production and land management strategies. There’s a lot to take in, and what meets the objectives for one farm or estate won’t necessarily be right for another. Taking the time to consider what will work best and where is vital.”
The Kings’ team, alongside experts from Frontier and specialists from its precision farming business, SOYL, provides guidance and recommendations to growers, ensuring they understand the potential outcomes and requirements of a scheme option before deciding on implementation.
“Our priority is ensuring our customers have access to all the right information so they feel equipped to make decisions that support the longevity and resilience of their farm business.
“Once they know the direction they’d like to take, we’ll provide solutions that support the practical application,” says Richard. “That means everything from the provision of seed and ongoing establishment and management advice, to support with the wider rotation and use of digital tools such as our MyFarm platform to aid reporting, compliance and future decisions.”
Frontier’s teams are also linking farmers to alternative and private funding opportunities, typically through collaborative supply chain projects with leading supply chain businesses or work with partner organisations. For example, growers in some catchment areas are incorporating private funding alongside Government grants from partnership projects like Landscape Enterprise Networks (LENs), for which Frontier is an aggregator. This provides them with the flexibility to stack different income streams to enact environmental measures that protect farm biodiversity and water quality.
A key source for information and advice – the 2024 Kings Crops catalogue
Kings’ wide-ranging product portfolio, including the newest mixes and latest scheme advice, can be found in its new Environmental Land Management and Specialist Crops catalogue. Comprising options across conservation agriculture, green cover, forage and game cover crops, this year’s edition also has an extended focus on specialist and amenity mixtures, including those for solar and vineyards. Also featuring a number of grower stories - available to read online too – readers can get insight into how diverse agricultural practices are being effectively implemented on farm.
The new catalogue can be found at www.kingscrops.co.uk/catalogue.
